Mitchell woman hoping farm fresh app will increase in popularity

Pamela Morgan is a big fan of anything fresh from the farm in Ontario, and she hopes the app she created will reach more farmers and members of the public.

Farm Fresh Finder is available for download Apple and Android devices and it allows users to search for everything from markets to butcher shops and beyond. Morgan said the idea for the app came from family trips during her younger years.

“We used to go camping quite a bit across Ontario and we would always look for farm stands, fresh produce, pick-your-own farms, that kind of stuff. I have a passion for agriculture and a love of fresh food.”

The app went live in 2023 and was developed by a company from London. Morgan, a Stratford native, explained over 600 vendors have signed up for the free marketing opportunity.

“My goal is to get as many as I can from Perth, Oxford and the surrounding counties and then grow it outward. I do have a lot of places up north and Ottawa way, but it’s just connecting consumers to fresh, local foods.”

Categories include meat, cheese and eggs; beer, wine, cider and spirits; syrup, honey and baking; flower farms and nurseries; experiences and farmers’ markets. Morgan said the easiest way to search for what’s near you is to use the map feature within the app.

“Whatever location you are in you can find what’s close to you, bakeries, flower farms, all that stuff. When you click on the map you will see all the different icons representing what is available nearby.”

The app cost $10,000 and Morgan explained she hopes to be able to make at least some of that money back once there is enough traffic on it. The app is listed on the Foodland Ontario website.

She added it’s more important than ever to support local these days.

“We’re in such a rich agricultural area and there’s so much to be found and so many hidden gems people don’t know about. This is a good way to find them. It’s growing quickly.”

Morgan works as a library programmer at the West Perth Public Library in Mitchell but explained growing the app is almost a full-time job.

“I’m doing this on the side but it’s a lot of work trying to keep up with it. A vendor interested in signing up can go to the website and select ‘add a listing’. They can post their address, hours of operation, contact information and any other relevant details. Pictures can also be posted and again, everything is free.”      

More information on the app is available at https://www.farmfreshfinder.ca/.